| Idiom | Bull in a China Shop |
|---|---|
| Example | Inviting the wrestling team to the ceramics exhibit was like letting bulls into a china shop. |
| Meaning | a clumsy person who deals too roughly with a delicate situation; a rough person who is near breakable things; a tactless person who says or does something that angers people or upsets their plans |
| Origin | Aesop, the famous ancient storyteller, once wrote a fable about a donkey in a potter's shop. Aesop's image was changed to a bull in a china shop when fine plates and dishes, called china, were first introduced into Europe in the 1500s. (Why was "donkey" changed to "bull"? Probably because a bull is so much bigger.) |
Learn with these flashcards. Click next, previous, or up to navigate to more flashcards for this subject.
Next card: Candle ends day burn ms murphy college works
Previous card: Bug i stop bugging leave peace irritate annoy
Up to card list: Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms